Program Reviews

I loved getting to know all the people and animals in Lima, Peru! The experience was so fun and easy, with only a few hours a day taking care of the dogs, cleaning, walking, feeding, and bathing them . Then the evenings were free to explore the beautiful city of Lima, practice Spanish, and hangout with other volunteers. Lots of free time on the weekends as well to go on those longer all-day excursions. I went to Cusco twice on the weekends. IVHQ provide comfortable accommodation and great meals during my stay. Thank you!

IVHQ offered me all the support I needed for the build up to my trip. Any questions or concerns I might have had about my particular program were answered promptly and with great detail. Everything about my program was laid out perfectly and I felt incredibly confident at the start date of my program. Will 1000% be doing another project through them! Visiting Morocco was a new experience to me and I have never felt safer and more capable of my abilities than with IVHQ. I highly recommend anyone considering the programs offered by the company to register. It is an experience like no other!

From the start to finish, I felt supported from all the staff. Safety was a priority in South Africa and they ensured that these were remembered whilst we went out and enjoyed ourselves! The school was absolutely amazing and I loved the class/ teachers I worked with. After programme, we had so much time to go and explore the local area of muizenburg and even head into the city of Cape Town to explore. It was importantly to follow the house rules as they kept you safe however I never felt as though the rules were restrictive and were very thought out to ensure safety to all volunteers. I wish I did longer than 3 weeks and can’t wait to go back, I would recommend this trip to anyone and believe the process is so easy to do.

IVHQ fully supported me before, after and during my trip to South Africa. I was lucky enough to have a great team to work with and made some new friends. The manager Hanno and the team of expert guides, Adriaan, Guy and Ryan looked after us all, taught us so much and went the extra mile constantly to make sure we had a very educational and enjoyable experience out in Balule Reserve. Highly recommended! Suits solo travelers or groups of all ages, you will work hard at times but it’s so rewarding, I’ll definitely be going back.

I completed a two week elderly care volunteer work program in Antigua in Guatemala through IVHQ, and what a memorable experience it has been! This was my second time volunteering with them, a decision that I made so easily as I loved my first time, which was in Madagascar back in 2014. You get so much support from the moment you sign up until you arrive, throughout your program and afterwards as well. The IVHQ team is very organised, kind, responsive and supportive. I loved every moment working in the program with the elderly, including the regular check ins that I received all the way till after I left Guatemala.

The application was very easy, all the steps and requirements were very clear, with a super detailed checklist and helpful training modules to help prepare you for your experience on the ground.

Overall, my trip was a combination of giving back and working closely with a group of very sweet elderly women and dedicated, caring staff; immersion in a new culture; meeting wonderful human beings including my Guatemaltecan host family and the program team; and getting to practice my Spanish. All in the very beautiful and scenic setting of Antigua, surrounded by majestic volcanoes and many excellent coffee spots. An experience I highly recommend to anyone who is feeling the inner calling to do good, have a fun trip abroad and learn so much along the way!

Fun! Very great people. Enjoyed them all except for one. He was literally a dangerous person. Cant believe he passed background check. Very threatening to younger folks. I am 65 and he was afraid of older women, we had to protect them. It was devastating to realize a fellow American was such a pig. The local group was responsive however as a retired nurse I felt he should have been sent away.

My host family was incredible, totally felt cared for in their home. The culture was so beautiful. The local group was incredible, they were responsive and supportive 👏

My experience was unique because I didn’t just teach grammar — I focused on connection and confidence. I understood that learning a new language can feel scary, especially for beginners or children. So I created a safe and encouraging space where students felt comfortable making mistakes.

I adapted my lessons to each person’s level and personality. I used conversations, games, and real-life situations instead of only books. I paid attention to pronunciation and communication so students could actually speak with confidence.

What makes my teaching different is my patience, empathy, and passion for helping others grow.

This was an emotional and eye opening experience. I am very glad I done this even for a short time. The local team Made me feel safe and catered to any needs we had . I was made to feel so welcomed at our home stay and celeine was amazing and so kind . The social scene wasn’t the best as I was the only volunteer doing the childcare program therefore would have been doing it myself but luckily a women in another program changed . I wish I had been told this prior to coming and I would have changed the dates or changed program .

The IVHQ program in Laos is well run. The support staff prior to arriving is very attentive to all the details. In Luang Prabang, the Guest House is in a good location. The meals were delicious and nutritious. I was teaching English at a local temple school. I was paired with a Laotian teacher. The tandem teaching system works well. School was closed for exams so I worked at the with the Childcare group for a few days. I was fortunate to experience both volunteer programs. I arrived with 6 other new volunteers and we had a fun time together. We even took weekend trips together to explore more of Laos. A few volunteers worked Construction and enjoyed that work. IVHQ has all the support in place and this allows the volunteers to enjoy the experience.

IVHQ helped prepare me for my volunteer trip to Namibia and was available for any questions or concerns I had before and during my trip! I highly recommend using them on a trip like this as everything went smoothly and I felt very safe and prepared going into the project! Be prepared to get your hands dirty and to learn lots while on this trip! They do provide you with a uniform. Remember it’s Africa so it’s hot and you’re in nature so there will be bugs. This is a life changing adventure!!!!!!!